As written, the rules do three broad things for customers:

- Add transparency to how broadband providers--both wired and wireless--manage networks

- Prohibit wired broadband providers from blocking lawful content, applications, services, and non-harmful devices. Wireless providers are also barred from blocking lawful websites or applications that compete with voice or video services.

- Forbid wired broadband providers from discriminating in the transmission of lawful network traffic.

However, just because the rules have been published doesn't necessarily mean they'll take effect on November 20, as they're supposed to. This is because we expect both wired and wireless providers to challenge these rules in the courts--the way and MetroPCS challenged them back in January. The Verizon and MetroPCS cases were tossed, but only because the rules hadn't been finalized.